Juvenile vehicle seat cup holder

ABSTRACT

A juvenile vehicle seat is provided including a cup holder. The cup holder is movable between a retracted position adjacent the seat and an extended position spaced from the seat.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY

[0001] The present application relates to a juvenile vehicle seat andparticularly to a juvenile vehicle seat having a cup holder movablebetween a retracted position and an extended position.

[0002] Conventional juvenile vehicle seats are generally known and arein relatively widespread use. It is desirable to provide a juvenilevehicle seat including a cup holder movable between a retracted positionand an extended position.

[0003] According to the present disclosure, a juvenile vehicle seat isprovided including a seat bottom and a seat back and a cup holdermovable relative to the seat bottom. The cup holder is movable between aretracted position adjacent the seat bottom and an extended positionspaced from the seat bottom.

[0004] In an illustrative embodiment, the cup holder includes a cupretainer or article receiver coupled to a connector or connectingmember. A first portion of the connector cooperates with a secondportion of the seat bottom or a base for the seat bottom to inhibitmovement of the cup holder from at least one of the retracted andextended positions.

[0005] In another illustrative embodiment, the juvenile vehicle seatbase is configured to releasably couple to the seat bottom. The baseprovides a receptor or aperture to receive the connector. The baseincludes engagement edges that cooperate with the connector to inhibitmovement of the cup holder from at least one of the retracted andextended positions.

[0006] In another illustrative embodiment, the connector providessurfaces to engage the engagement edges of the base. One or moreflexible tabs provide the surfaces so that when a user appliessufficient force to move the cup holder toward the extended position orthe retracted position the tabs flex to disengage the surfaces from theedges. The tabs and surfaces thereon are configured to cooperate withthe base or seat bottom to inhibit movement of the cup holder until adeliberate and sufficient force is applied to move the cup holder.

[0007] In still another illustrative embodiment, while in the retractedposition, the cup holder is spaced apart from the seat bottom by a firstdistance. In the extended position the cup holder is spaced apart fromthe seat bottom by a second distance. The second distance is greaterthan the first distance. The second distance is sufficient so that thecup holder, when in the extended position, can accommodate cups or otherarticles having dimensions that would not be accommodated by the cupholder in the retracted position.

[0008] Additional objects, features, and advantages of the presentapplication will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the artupon consideration of the following detailed description of preferredembodiments exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the subjectmatter of this application as presently perceived.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] The detailed description particularly refers to the accompanyingfigures in which:

[0010]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a juvenile vehicle seat having aseat back, a seat bottom coupled to the seat back, a base coupled to theseat bottom, and a movable cup holder engaging the base;

[0011]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a portion of the juvenile vehicleseat of FIG. 1 showing the cup holder in an extended position;

[0012]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a portion of the juvenile vehicleseat of FIG. 1 showing the cup holder positioned for assembly;

[0013]FIG. 4 is a front view of a portion of the juvenile vehicle seatof FIG. 1 showing the cup holder in the extended position;

[0014]FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the juvenile vehicle seat of FIG. 1taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 3 showing the cup holder in a retractedposition, showing the connector engaging the base;

[0015]FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the juvenile vehicle seat similar toFIG. 5 showing the cup holder in a position between the retracted andextended positions;

[0016]FIG. 7 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 5 showing the cupholder in the extended position; and

[0017]FIG. 8 is a sectional view of a portion of the juvenile vehicleseat of FIG. 1 taken along line 8-8 of FIG. 7.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0018] As shown in FIG. 1, a juvenile vehicle seat 10 includes a seatbottom 12 and a seat back 14 extending from seat bottom 12.Illustratively, a base 16 is releasably coupled to an underside of seat10 and is adapted to rest on a vehicle seat or other support surface(not shown). Juvenile vehicle seat 10 further includes a cup holder 18movable relative to seat bottom 12 or base 16 between a retractedposition as shown in FIG. 5 and an extended position as shown in FIG. 7.

[0019] Cup holder 18 includes a cup retainer or article receiver 20 anda connector or connecting member 22 extending from cup retainer 20. Asshown in FIGS. 3 and 5-7, connector 22 includes a first portion 26 forengaging base 16. First portion 26 cooperates with base 16 to inhibitremoval of connector 22 from base 16 and to inhibit movement of cupholder 18 from the retracted and extended positions.

[0020] As shown in FIG. 3, base 16 includes a front 28, a rear 30, and apair of sides 32, 34. Base 16 further includes a seat connector 36 forreleasably coupling seat bottom 12 to the base. Base 16 provides areceptor or aperture 38 to receive connector 22 of cup holder 18 andpermit sliding movement of connector 22 relative to base 16. Althoughcertain embodiments are disclosed herein as including base 16, it iswithin the scope of this disclosure to incorporate the featuresdescribed herein as being part of base 16 into the seat bottom or otherportion of juvenile vehicle seat 10.

[0021] Referring now to FIGS. 4-7, first portion 26 of connector 22 isconfigured to cooperate with a second portion 40 of base 16. Secondportion 40 includes first and second retainer engaging portions 42, 44for engaging connector 22. Illustratively, first retainer engagingportion 42 provides a first opening or notch 46 providing inner andouter engagement edges 48, 50 that cooperate with connector 22 toinhibit movement of cup holder 18 from the extended position. Secondretainer engaging portion 44 provides a second opening 52 providing athird engagement edge 54 to cooperate with connector 22 to inhibitmovement of cup holder 18 from the retracted position and to inhibitremoval of cup holder 18 from base 16. Although in illustrativeembodiments base 16 includes first and second retainer engaging portions42, 44, a single retainer engaging portion inhibiting movement of thecup holder is within the scope of this disclosure. Additionally,although retainer engaging portions 42, 44 have been illustrated asincluding first and second openings 46, 52 providing engagement edges48, 50, 54, other known structures cooperating with connector 22 toinhibit movement of cup holder 18 are within the scope of thisdisclosure. For example, cup holder 18 could include a structure tointeract with the seat bottom or base to provide friction or other formsof contact to inhibit movement of the cup holder.

[0022] As shown in FIG. 3, connector 22 provides first and secondopenings 56, 58 each providing a connection edge 60. First portion 26 ofconnector 22 includes first and second retainers 62, 64 having first andsecond tabs 66, 68 respectively, each tab being cantilevered to one ofconnection edges 60. As shown in FIGS. 5-7, first tab 66 provides adetent 70. Illustratively, detent 70 has a curved surface. Also as shownin FIGS. 5-7, second tab 68 provides a catch 72 having a sloped surface74 and a stop surface 76.

[0023] As shown in FIG. 4, when cup holder 18 is in the extendedposition, cup retainer or article receiver 20 is spaced apart from base16 and seat bottom 12 by a distance 84 greater than when cup holder 18is in the retracted position. In an illustrative embodiment, distance 84is about two inches. However, it is within the scope of this disclosurefor distance 84 to be other lengths. Distance 84 is illustrativelysufficient in length so that cup retainer 20, when in the extendedposition, can accommodate cups or other articles having dimensions thatwould not be accommodated by the cup holder in the retracted position.

[0024] In the retracted position shown in FIG. 5, cup retainer 20 isproximate or adjacent side 32 of base 16. In this position, catch 72 anddetent 70 are positioned in second opening 52. When a user applies forceto cup holder 18 in a direction 80, detent 70 engages third engagementedge 54 of opening 52 to inhibit movement of cup holder 18 from theretracted position toward the extended position.

[0025] Referring to FIG. 6, as a user applies a force sufficient to movecup holder 18 in direction 80 from the retracted position toward theextended position, the curved surface of detent 70 moves against thirdedge 54 until first tab 66 flexes and detent 70 disengages third edge54. As a user continues to slide cup holder in direction 80, detent 70moves against a bottom surface of second retainer engaging portion 44.

[0026] As a user moves cup holder 18 to the extended position shown inFIG. 7, detent 70 snaps into first opening or notch 46. In thisposition, detent 70 is adjacent inner and outer edges 48, 50 of firstopening 46. Also as shown in the extended position of FIG. 7, catch 72is adjacent third edge 54 of second opening 52. When cup holder 18 is inthe extended position, as a user applies force in direction 80 to cupholder 18, detent 70 and stop surface 76 engage outer edge 50 and thirdedge 54 respectively, inhibiting removal of connector 22 and cup holder18 from base 16. As a user applies force in direction 82 to cup holder18, detent 70 engages inner edge 48, inhibiting movement of cup holder18 from the extended position toward the retracted position.

[0027] To insert cup holder 18 into base 16, a user inserts connector 22into receptor 38. As the user moves cup holder 18 toward the retractedposition, catch 72 slides along an underside of base 16. Sloped surface74 facilitates insertion of connector 22 by the user by reducingresistance in sliding catch 72 past inner edge 48.

[0028] As illustrated in FIG. 8, connector 22 includes left and rightdownwardly extending guides 110, 112. Base 16 includes left and rightguide supports 120, 122. Each of guide supports 120, 122 includes agenerally upwardly facing support surface 128. In operation, as shown inFIGS. 5-7, guides 110, 112 slide on support surface 128 therebymaintaining first portion 26 of cup holder 18 in the proper position toengage second portion 40 of base 16.

[0029] Illustratively, as shown in FIG. 3, a console 88 is coupled toside 32 and includes a platform 90 and a container 92. Platform 90 isadjacent to receptor 38 and is sized to receive cup retainer 20. Asshown in FIGS. 5-7, platform 90 illustratively provides additionalsupport to cup holder 18 by supporting cup retainer 20 when cup holder18 is in the retracted position, and by supporting at least a portion ofcup retainer 20 or connector 22 when cup holder 18 is between theretracted and extended positions. When cup holder 18 is in the extendedposition, platform 90 supports connector 22. Platform 90 and container92 are illustratively shaped so that the outer surface contours of cupholder 18 appear to continue the contours of the outer surfaces ofplatform 90 and container 92. These shapes provide the appearance thatthe cup holder is an integral part of the base when the cup holder is inthe retracted position.

[0030] Although this application has described detail with reference tocertain preferred or illustrative embodiments, variations andmodifications exist within the scope and spirit of the invention asdescribed and defined in the following claims.

1. A juvenile vehicle seat comprising a base and a cup holder, the cupholder having a retracted position adjacent the base and an extendedposition spaced from the base.
 2. The juvenile vehicle seat of claim 1,wherein the cup holder is carried by a connecting member, the connectingmember being movable relative to the base.
 3. The juvenile vehicle seatof claim 1, wherein the cup holder is slidably mounted to the base. 4.The juvenile vehicle seat of claim 2, wherein the base provides areceptor for the connecting member.
 5. The juvenile vehicle seat ofclaim 2 further comprising a detent carried on one of the base or theconnecting member and a notch provided in the other of the base or theconnecting member to inhibit movement of the cup holder from at leastone of the retracted or extended positions.
 6. The juvenile vehicle seatof claim 2, wherein the connecting member includes a detent, the baseincludes a notch, and the detent engages the notch to inhibit movementof the cup holder from the extended position toward the retractedposition.
 7. The juvenile vehicle seat of claim 6, wherein the basefurther includes an opening and the detent engages an edge of theopening to inhibit movement of the cup holder from the retractedposition toward the extended position.
 8. The juvenile vehicle seat ofclaim 7, wherein the connecting member further includes a catch thatengages the edge of the opening to inhibit removal of the cup holderfrom the base.
 9. A juvenile seat assembly comprising: a juvenilevehicle seat, and a cup holder movably secured to the juvenile vehicleseat, the cup holder being positionable between a first position and asecond position, wherein the cup holder is spaced apart from thejuvenile vehicle seat by a first distance when the cup holder is in thefirst position and is spaced apart from the juvenile vehicle seat by asecond distance when the cup holder is in the second position, the firstdistance being less than the second distance.
 10. The assembly of claim9, wherein the cup holder includes a cylindrically-shaped cup retainerdefined therein.
 11. The assembly of claim 9, wherein the cup holder isslidably secured to the juvenile seat.
 12. The assembly of claim 9,wherein the assembly further comprises a base, the seat being removablysecured to the base, and the cup holder is movably secured to the base.13. The assembly of claim 12, wherein the base is formed to include anaperture defined therein, and the cup holder includes a connector, theconnector extending into the aperture.
 14. The assembly of claim 13,wherein the connector includes a first portion and the base includes asecond portion, the first portion cooperating with the second portion toinhibit movement of the cup holder from at least one of the first orsecond positions.
 15. The assembly of claim 14, wherein the firstportion includes a detent and the second portion provides an engagementedge, the detent engaging the edge when the cup holder is in the firstposition to inhibit movement of the cup holder from the first positiontoward the second position.
 16. The assembly of claim 15, wherein thefirst portion further includes a catch that engages the edge when thecup holder is in the second position to inhibit removal of the cupholder from the base.
 17. The assembly of claim 15, wherein the secondportion includes a notch and the detent engages the notch when the cupholder is in the second position to inhibit removal of the cup holderfrom the base and to inhibit movement of the cup holder from the secondposition toward the first position.
 18. A juvenile vehicle seatcomprising a cup holder coupled to the seat and movable relative to theseat between a retracted position proximate the seat and an extendedposition spaced apart from the seat, the cup holder having a connectingmember engaging the seat to inhibit movement of the cup holder from atleast one of the retracted and extended positions.
 19. The juvenilevehicle seat of claim 18, wherein the connecting member includes aretainer and the seat includes a first retainer engaging portion and asecond retainer engaging portion, wherein the retainer engages the firstretainer engaging portion to inhibit movement of the cup holder from theextended position and the retainer engages the second retainer engagingportion to inhibit movement of the cup holder from the retractedposition.
 20. The juvenile vehicle seat of claim 18, wherein theconnecting member includes a first retainer and a second retainer andthe seat includes a retainer engaging portion, wherein the firstretainer engages the retainer engaging portion to inhibit movement ofthe cup holder from the retracted position and the second retainerengages the retainer engaging portion to inhibit movement of the cupholder from the seat.